1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and method and a display control apparatus and method. In particular, the invention relates to an information processing apparatus and method and a display control apparatus and method which enable a single apparatus to be shared by, for instance, a plurality of family members in a home while a certain level of privacy is secured.
2. Description of the Related Art
Networks as typified by the Internet have spread in recent years and transmission of a message to a desired person is now commonly done by E-mail or facsimile in not only places of work but also homes.
Conventionally, in each home, a received facsimile message or E-mail is displayed on a television receiver or a display device of a personal computer.
However, where E-mail or a facsimile message is displayed on, for instance, a television receiver, there is a problem that other family members may be informed of a message that one family member does not want them to know; that is, his privacy is not secured.
Where a message received by E-mail or facsimile is displayed on a television receiver, screen switching, screen division, or like processing is needed to display the icon of an urgent facsimile message or E-mail or view its contents on the television screen. This causes a problem that a user cannot fully enjoy television programs during such processing.
An object of the present invention is to prevent such an event that a user cannot fully enjoy television programs and to secure the privacy of each family member.
The information processing apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention comprises a first member and a second member. The first member comprises communicating means for communicating with a telephone network; supplying means for supplying power to the second member; and first exchanging means for exchanging data wirelessly with the second member. The second member comprises second exchanging means for exchanging data wirelessly with the first member; processing means for processing data that is supplied from the first member; display means for performing a prescribed display; and input means for allowing a prescribed input.
The information processing method according to the first aspect of the present invention comprises, in the first member, a communicating step of communicating with a telephone network; a supplying step of supplying power to a second member; and a first exchanging step of exchanging data wirelessly with the second member. The information processing method further comprises, in the second member, a second exchanging step of exchanging data wirelessly with the first member; a processing step of processing data that is supplied from the first member; a display step of performing a prescribed display; and an input step of allowing a prescribed input.
In the information processing apparatus and the information processing method according to the first aspect of the present invention, data is exchanged wirelessly between the first member and the second member. Information is displayed on the second member that is portable and detachable from the first member.
The information processing apparatus according to the second aspect of the present invention comprises storing means for storing information that is received through a telephone network; selection means constituted of symbols displayed on a display device, and selected by a plurality of users, respectively, to identify themselves in reading out a desired one from among pieces of information directed to the users that are stored in the storing means; and output means for reading out, when one symbol of the selection means is selected, a piece of information corresponding to the selected symbol from among the pieces of information stored in the storing mean, and for outputting the read-out piece of information.
In the above information processing apparatus, a plurality of symbols are provided to allow a plurality of users to identify themselves. When one of the plurality of symbols is selected, a piece of information corresponding to the selected symbol is read out from the pieces of information stored in the storage device.
The information processing method according to the second aspect of the present invention comprises a storing step of storing information that is received through a telephone network; a preparing step of preparing a plurality of symbols corresponding to a plurality of users, respectively, so that a selection can be made from among the symbols for the users to identify themselves in reading out a desired one from among pieces of information directed to the users that are stored in the storing step; and an output step of reading out, when one symbol is selected, a piece of information corresponding to the selected symbol from among the pieces of information stored in the storing step, and outputting the read-out piece of information.
In the above information processing method, a plurality of symbols corresponding to a plurality of users, respectively, are prepared. When one of the plurality of symbols is selected, a piece of information corresponding to the selected symbol is read out from the pieces of information stored.
The information processing apparatus according to the third aspect of the present invention comprises storing means for storing E-mail addresses and telephone numbers of a plurality of persons to be accessed through a telephone network; manipulation means to be manipulated in accessing a desired person through the telephone network; first display means for displaying, when an instruction to access a certain person by E-mail is made, a correlation table of the E-mail addresses and the telephone numbers of the respective persons and information necessary to transmit E-mail at the same time; second display means for displaying, when an instruction to access a certain person by telephone, a correlation table corresponding to that displayed by the first display means and information necessary for access by telephone at the same time; and accessing means for accessing, when one person is selected from the correlation table, the selected person through the telephone network.
The information processing method according to the third aspect of the present invention comprises a storing step of storing E-mail addresses and telephone numbers of a plurality of persons to be accessed through a telephone network; a manipulation step in which a manipulation is made in accessing a desired person through the telephone network; a first display step of displaying, when an instruction to access a certain person by E-mail is made, a correlation table of the E-mail addresses and the telephone numbers of the respective persons and information necessary to transmit E-mail at the same time; a second display step of displaying, when an instruction to access a certain person by telephone, a correlation table corresponding to that displayed by the first display means and information necessary for access by telephone at the same time; and an accessing step of accessing, when one person is selected from the correlation table, the selected person through the telephone network.
In the information processing apparatus and the information processing method according to the third aspect of the present invention, a correlation table of E-mail addresses and telephone numbers of respective persons is displayed in each of a case of accessing a certain person by E-mail and a case of accessing a certain person by telephone.
The display control apparatus according to the present invention comprises first display means for displaying first information necessary to access a certain person who is determined by an E-mail address; second display means for displaying second information necessary to access a certain person who is determined by a telephone number; first manipulation means to be displayed together with the first information and to be manipulated in making a transition from a state that the first information is displayed to a state that the second information is displayed; and second manipulation means to be displayed together with the second information and to be manipulated in making a transition from the state that the second information is displayed to the state that the first information is displayed.
The display control method according to the present invention comprises a first step of displaying first information necessary to access a certain person who is determined by an E-mail address; a second step of displaying second information necessary to access a certain person who is determined by a telephone number; a third step of displaying, together with the first information, a first manipulation portion to be manipulated in making a transition from a state that the first information is displayed to a state that the second information is displayed; and a fourth step of displaying, together with the second information, a second manipulation portion to be manipulated in making a transition from the state that the second information is displayed to the state that the first information is displayed.
In the display control apparatus and the display control method according to the present invention, the manipulation portion to be manipulated in making a transition to the other state is displayed in each of a state that first information necessary to access a certain person by using his E-mail address is displayed and a state that second information necessary to access a certain person by using his telephone number is displayed.
As described above, in the information processing apparatus and the information processing method according to the first aspect of the present invention, data is exchanged wirelessly between the first and second members, information is displayed and a prescribed input is allowed in the second member, and the second member is portable. Therefore, it becomes possible for a plurality of users to immediately check received information while the privacy of each user is secured. There no longer occurs an event that the use of other AV devices such as a television receiver is obstructed.
In the information processing apparatus according to the second aspect of the present invention, a plurality of symbols are allocated to a plurality of users, respectively. When one of the plurality of symbols is selected, a piece of information corresponding to the selected symbol is read out from the pieces of information stored in the storage device and is then output. Therefore, it becomes possible for the plurality of users to check received information while the privacy of each user is secured.
In the information processing method according to the second aspect of the present invention, a plurality of symbols corresponding to a plurality of users, respectively, are prepared. When one of the plurality of symbols is selected, a piece of information corresponding to the selected symbol is read out from the pieces of information stored and is then output. Therefore, it becomes possible for the plurality of users to check received information while the privacy of each user is secured.
In the information processing apparatus and the information processing method according to the third aspect of the present invention, a correlation table of E-mail addresses and telephone numbers is commonly used in a case of accessing a certain person by E-mail and a case of accessing a certain person by telephone. Therefore, a process of exchanging data by E-mail and a process of exchanging data by facsimile can be executed substantially without discriminating those processes from each other, i.e., regarding those processes as substantially the same kind of process.
In the display control apparatus and the display control method according to the present invention, a manipulation for making a transition to the other state is possible in each of a state that first information is displayed and a state that second information is displayed. Therefore, switching between access by telephone and access by E-mail can be made quickly. For example, when absence of a person to communicate with is found by calling him, switching to access by E-mail can be made immediately. The ease of operation is thus improved.